2024 Summer Conference

Mark your calendars.
When: July 9 – July 12
Where: San Juan, PR
Facility: Sheraton Puerto Rico

Registration:
ACR Members: $500 early/ $600 late (after June 10, 2024)
Non-Profit Organizations: $750 per person early/ $850 late (proof of valid non-profit status is required)
Corporate Non-Members: $1300 per person early/ $1400 late.
Registration Closes:  Monday, June 24, 2024, or when registration capacity is fulfilled.
https://www.nass.org/events/nass-2024-summer-conference

Conference Agenda

2023-2024 Officers

ACR President
Jill S. Ledbetter, Editor-in-Chief, Texas Register and Texas Administrative Code
President Ledbetter has served in multiple roles including the Southern Representative, ACR Vice President and was nominated and confirmed unanimously this last summer as the ACR President.
President Ledbetter is Editor-in-Chief of the Texas Register and Texas Administrative Code which is under the Texas Secretary of State’s Office.
She supervises a team of nine, and together they produce the weekly Texas Register publication as well as all associated updates to the Texas Administrative Code.
The Register is available in print as well as in various formats online. Additionally, two of the Texas team are tasked with other duties for the Secretary of State’s Office.
In addition to ensuring the timely production of our weekly issue, President Ledbetter interacts with stakeholders which ranges from members of the general public looking for information to agency rule writers, executive directors, and general counsels.
She is also the clerk for the Records Management Interagency Coordinating Council, a multi-agency council tasked with studying records management across Texas state agencies and reporting those findings to the Governor and Legislature.
President Ledbetter has been with the Texas SOS for more than 33 years, all with the Texas Register in a variety of roles.
Prior to entering state government service, she was a sports reporter and broadcaster.

Vice President
Trinette Middlebrook, Administrative Rules Specialist, Idaho Dept. of Health & Welfare
Vice President Middlebrook is a Rules Specialist for Idaho Department of Health & Welfare  where she is involve with following and reviewing all legislation and identifying bills that may affect the Department and its business.
After the moratorium on rulemaking last year in Idaho, their Administrative Rules Unit which includes ACR member Frank Powell hit the ground running starting their yearlong process of rulemaking.
Vice President Middlebrook believes that every day is a new day with a new situation or problem to solve.
She really enjoys her work because they are able to have collaborative relationships with many different programs and entities in Idaho government, which makes finding a solution possible.

Secretary – Treasurer
Mike Duchek, Senior Attorney, Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau

2023 Summer Conference

NASS/ACR 2023 Summer Conference

When: July 9-12, 2023
Where: Washington, DC
Facility: Grand Hyatt Washington, 1000 H Street NW, Washington, D.C., United States, 20001, Telephone: (202) 582 1234

REGISTRATION: The cost to attend is $500 early/ $600 late (after June 16, 2023) for Secretaries of State, State Government Staff, ACR Members, NPA State Government Members, NASS Corporate Affiliates and Federal Government Staff.

The cost for Non-Profit Organizations to attend is $750 per person early/ $850 late (proof of valid non-profit status required). The cost for Corporate Non-Members to attend is $1300 per person early/ $1400 late.

Register at the following link:
https://www.eventleaf.com/e/nasssummer23

Registration for this event will close on Monday, June 26, 2023, or when registration capacity is fulfilled. On-site registration WILL NOT be available for this event.

All event attendees are subject to the event anti-harassment policy and conference waiver of liability. There is no virtual option to attend.

NASS AGENDA [Link on NASS Website]

ACR AGENDA

Administrative Codes and Registers
a Section of the National Association of Secretaries of State
July 9-12, 2023
Unless otherwise noted, all sessions will be held at the Grand Hyatt
All times noted are Eastern Time

We are excited to share with you the agenda of the 2023 ACR Summer Conference!
You may notice that one session is still to be determined (TBD). We are working hard to fill that spot and once we have that final confirmation we will let you know.
Again, registration is open at this time. You can register at the following link: https://www.eventleaf.com/e/nasssummer23

Kylie Cone (UT), Program Committee Member

Conference Meeting Agenda


Saturday, July 8
Travel Day
Those arriving July 8th meet in the hotel lobby for ACR group dinner!
Evening event: ACR group dinner, 6:30 p.m.


Sunday, July 9
1:00 – 4:30 p.m. ~ Conference Registration

  • 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. ~ ACR Officers and Executive Committee Meeting
  • 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
    ~ ACR Welcoming Statement by Michael Broschinsky (UT), ACR President
    ~ Introduction of Officers and Executive Committee
    ~ Kick off 2023 Edition of Who’s Who and What’s New
  • 3:00 – 3:15 p.m. ~ Afternoon Break
  • 3:15 – 4:30 p.m. ~ 2023 Edition of Who’s Who and What’s New (cont’d)

Evening event: No Evening Event Scheduled for ACR


Monday, July 10
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ~ Conference Registration
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. NASS/ACR Breakfast

  • 9:00 – 10:15 a.m. Who’s Who and What’s New (cont’d)
  • 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. Morning Break
  • 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. First ACR Business Meeting
  • 11:30 – 12:30 p.m. NASS/ACR Boxed Lunch
  • 12:45 – 2:30 p.m. Online Rule Submission and Publishing Panel
    – Jill Ledbetter (TX),
    – Michael Broschinsky (UT), and
    – Christina Muniz (NH)
  • 3:00 – 3:15 p.m. Afternoon Break
  • 3:15 – 5:00 p.m. D.C. Municipal Regulations and D.C. Register – Victor Reid (D.C.)

Evening event: 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Evening Event for All Conference Attendees


Tuesday, July 11
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ~ Conference Registration
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. NASS/ACR Breakfast

  • 9:15 – 10:45 a.m. Awards Committee Presents the Colborn Award and Winner Presentation
  • 10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Morning Break
  • 11:00 – 12:30 p.m. Community Engagement and Equity Reporting in Rulemaking
    – Jaci Davis (OR) and
    – Colleen Needham (OR)
  • 12:45 – 2:00 p.m. NASS/ACR Lunch (with NASS IDEAS Award Presentation)
  • 2:15 – 3:15 p.m. Second ACR Business Meeting
  • 3:15 – 3:30 p.m. Afternoon Break
  • 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Federal Update – John Hyrum Martinez

Evening event: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Evening Event for All Conference Attendees


Wednesday, July 12
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. NASS/ACR Breakfast
9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Session TBD
10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Morning Break
10:45 – 11:45 a.m. Roundtable Discussion: Rule Review and Correcting Errors
11:45 – 12:00 p.m. Closing Remarks and conference survey collection


Committees

Archives Committee
Chair:

Awards Committee
Chair: Trinette Middlebrook (ID)
Frank Powell (ID)
Jack Ewing (IA)

Bylaws Committee
Chair: Issac Linam (AK)
Christina Muniz (NH)
Allen Enger (LA)

Nominations Committee
Chair: Emily Caudill (KY)
Heather Jarrett (IN)
Catherine Brindley (LA)

Program Committee
Chair: Denise Kipfstuhl (Thomson Reuters)
Kylie Cone (UT)
John Hyrum Martinez (DC)

Social Media Committee
Chair: Jaci Davis (OR)
Catherine Brindley (LA)
Christina Muniz (NH)

Survey Committee
Chair: Jill Ledbetter (TX)
Chris Coffman (OK)

Website Committee
Chair: Scott Cancelosi (AZ)
Heather Jarrett (IN)
Matt Ortiz (NM)

2022-2023 Survey For Sale

The State and Federal Survey is a valuable tool that contains a wealth of information about administrative rules in the various states.

2022 ACR Survey Order Form
For example, you can find out which states publish an administrative register or code, determine which branch of government is responsible for publication, and locate contact information for the states.

Appendices include informative statistics, Internet addresses for administrative codes and registers websites, and Internet addresses for administrative rules review information.

This survey is available for US $40. Please fill out the order form and make check or money order payable to ACR Survey.

Press Release: Administrative Codes and Registers Section of NASS Honors the Iowa Legislative Services Agency as the 2022 Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award Winner

Iowa Team

Members from Iowa’s Legal Services Division, Computer Services Division, and Process Improvement Office involved with this project – Names from the left: Mathew Kakavas, Magesh Natarajan, Geetha Nagarajan, Emily Kramer, Roger Karns, and Jack Ewing.


For Immediate Release
July 10, 2022

PRESS RELEASE:

Washington, D.C. —  The Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR) Section of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) awarded the Iowa Legislative Services Agency the 2022 Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award at the association’s annual conference for their work with the state’s Administrative Codes and Registers.

Iowa has undertaken this project as an ongoing effort by the Legal Services Division of the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency of the Iowa General Assembly (GA), to comprehensively determine and report on all possibly required rulemaking by executive branch agencies that results from legislation newly enacted in the GA’s annual sessions. Reports on this information are provided to the GA’s Administrative Rules Review Committee (ARRC) and to affected state agencies.

This project was designed to determine possibly required rulemaking emanating from bills enacted in each legislative session. Drafters prepare charts for each bill noting whether rulemaking may be involved, the statute affected, the relevant agency relevant existing rules any current rulemakings, etc. The charts are continually updated across the process. In 2021, a new, in-house, web-based tool was used by the drafters to usher charts through the process and can accommodate work spanning across multiple years.

The new rules analysis tool represents a significant leap forward in process and efficiency. Where once there were stacks of paper documents, each of which had to be updated individually, the system is now largely paperless and interfaces directly with our rulemaking databases, and individualized reports for each affected agency can be generated automatically. The outgrowth of this project provides a significant response to the issue of untimely rulemaking and an impressive logistical achievement. Feedback from users of the tool has been uniformly positive.

Citizen benefits – Ensures that rules required by legislation are codified in a timely manner, which in turn ensures prompt access to new regulatory requirements that the public has access to rules that are substantively and technically up to date and accurate.

Executive branch agencies benefits – Provides additional input on legislation relevant to the agency and rules adopted by the agency to ensure that statutory changes affecting an agency are not missed.

Legislator benefits – Ensures that enacted bills are implemented in a timely and accurate manner while also providing more data points for possible use during the legislature’s oversight through the Administrative Rules Review Committee.

Because of these homegrown innovative features, the ACR Awards Committee has selected the Iowa Legislative Services Agency as this year’s Colborn Award recipient for their work on the capturing all necessary rulemakings due to enacted legislation and then informing the appropriate state agencies of the rulemaking expectations for timely codification.

Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR), a section of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), created the Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award in July 2001 in honor of Robert J. Colborn, Jr., who served as the administrator of the Maryland Division of State Documents from 1974 through 2001 and founded ACR. The Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award annually recognizes a program that demonstrates creativity and innovation in providing public access to, or managing, administrative rules. It honors the state agency that has made substantial contributions to the flow of information to the public by improving efficiency and delivery of services to citizens, businesses, and other governmental entities.

“The Iowa Legislative Services Agency is honored to receive the Colborn Innovation Award for our administrative rules analysis process and application. We would like to thank the ACR Section of NASS for recognizing our process to track rulemaking implicated by enacted legislation as well as our new application which has both modernized our data management and led to significant work process efficiencies in our annual rule analysis project.”

– Tim McDermott, Director of the Iowa Legislative Services Agency

2022 ACR Awards Committee – Robert J. Colborn Jr. Innovation Award:
Awards Chair: Trinette Middlebrook, Administrative Rules Specialist
State of Idaho, Department of Health and Welfare
Phone: (208) 334-0440

Awards Committee Member: Frank Powell
Administrative Rules Specialist
State of Idaho, Department of Health and Welfare
Phone: (208) 334-5775

2022 Colborn Award

Jack Ewing, Administrative Code Editor and Senior Legal Council of Iowa’s Legislative Services Agency was the recipient of the 2022 Colborn Innovation Award.

2022 Colborn Award Iowa

Jack Ewing (left) receives the 2022 Colborn Innovation Award from ACR President Michael Broschinsky.

 

View the Press Release

2022 Colborn Award Submission (pdf)

Presentation Documents

PowerPoint Presentation (pdf)
IOWA Rules Analysis – Tools Instructions  (pdf)

Memos

2020 LSA Rules Analysis Report to ARRC on Iowa Acts(pdf)
2021 LSA Rules Analysis Report to ARRC on Iowa Acts (pdf)
2022 LSA Rules Analysis Report to ARRC on Iowa Acts (pdf)

 

 

Archive – 2022 Summer Conference

Archive – 2022 Summer Conference

Registration (Closed)
Registration for this conference will close on Friday, July 1, 2022, or when registration capacity is fulfilled.
https://www.nass.org/events/nass-2022-summer-conference

When: July 7 – July 10
Where: Baton Rouge, LA
Facility: Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center

Book the hotel now
The NASS rate at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center is $107 per night, plus state and local taxes (15.95%). The rate is guaranteed through Tuesday, June 21, 2022, 11:59 PM CDT or until the room block sells out.
Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
201 Lafayette Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
(225) 344-5866

Conference Meeting Agenda
July 7-10, 2022

Unless otherwise noted, all sessions will be held in the [TBD] conference room of the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
All times noted are Central Time
Wednesday, July 6
Travel Day ~ Those arriving July 6 meet in the hotel lobby for ACR group dinner! Time 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 7

1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ~ Conference Registration ~  Location [TBD]
1:00 – 1:45 p.m. ACR Officers and Executive Committee Meeting
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ACR Welcoming Statement by Michael Broschinsky (UT), ACR President ~ Introduction of Officers and Executive Committee, and kick off 2022 Edition of Who’s Who and What’s New
3:00 – 3:15 p.m. Afternoon Break
3:15 – 4:30 p.m. 2022 Edition of Who’s Who and What’s New (continued)
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Welcome Reception for all conference attendees

Friday, July 8

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ~ Conference Registration ~  Location [TBD]
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. NASS/ACR Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Who’s Who and What’s New (if needed ) OR Purpose and Value of ACR (Panel: Mike Broschinsky, Jill Ledbetter, Mike Duchek)
10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Morning Break
10:45 – 12:00 p.m. First ACR Business Meeting
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. NASS/ACR Buffet Lunch
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Publishers Discussion
2:30 – 2:45 p.m. Afternoon Break
2:45 – 5:00 p.m. Louisiana Rulemaking and Field Trip
[No evening event currently on NASS schedule]

Saturday, July 9
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ~ Conference Registration ~ Conference Registration ~  Location [TBD]
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. NASS/ACR Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Federal Update, panel, or Idaho (confirming speakers and times)
10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Morning Break
10:45 – 11:45 a.m. Federal Update, panel, or Idaho
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. NASS/ACR Lunch (with Featured Speaker and NASS IDEAS Award Presentation)
1:45 – 2:30 p.m. Second ACR Business Meeting
2:30 – 2:45 p.m. Afternoon Break
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Federal Update, panel, or Idaho
5:45 – 9:00 p.m. Evening Event for All Conference Attendees

Sunday, July 10
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. NASS/ACR Breakfast
9:00 – 11:45 a.m. Roundtable or panel
11:45 – 12:00 p.m. Closing Remarks and conference survey collection

Committees
Conference Committee
Chair:

Nominations Committee
Chair: Julie Yamaka (OR)
Yvette Smallwood (DE)
Emily Caudill (KY)

Awards Committee
Chair: Trinette Middlebrook (ID)
Frank Powell (ID)
Matt Ortiz (NM)

Archives Committee
Anne Bloomsburg (VA)
Jennifer Meas (WA)

Website Committee
Chair: Scott Cancelosi (AZ)
Emily Caudill (KY)
Kylie Cone (UT)

What are Administrative Rules

What are Administrative Rules

A rule is a product of rulemaking by a state agency.
Virtually everything in your daily life is affected in some way by rules published by members of ACR from the quality of air you breathe to the licensing of your dentist. You may not know who we are, but you certainly feel the impact of our labors on a daily basis.

Learn more here

2021 Summer Conference ~ Archive

When: August 13, 2021 through August 16, 2021
Where: Des Moines, IA
Facility: Des Moines Marriott Downtown

Registration is now open to ACR members! We have a limited of number of in-person registrations for members.
NASS will offer a select number of sessions virtually as well as all ACR & NPA meetings.

Registration Closed
REGISTER TO ATTEND IN-PERSON ($500 per person before 7/23/21)
REGISTER TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY ($50 per person)

NASS/ACR HOTEL –
Marriott Des Moines Downtown
700 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
515-245-5500
Conference rate is $136 per night, plus state and local taxes (12%). The rate is guaranteed through Friday, July 23, 2021, 5 p.m. CST or until the room block sells out. Call 800-514-4681 and mention the National Association of Secretaries of State to receive the discounted rate; or
Reserve you room online HERE.


Conference Meeting Agenda

Administrative Codes and Registers
a Section of the National Association of Secretaries of State

August 13 – 16, 2021


Unless otherwise noted, all sessions will be held in the Sioux City conference room of the Des Moines Marriott Downtown.

All meeting times are listed in Central time

There will also be an option to attend ACR sessions virtually. This will be a SEPARATE registration process and the registration fee will be $50 per person.


Thursday, August 12
Travel Day ~ Those arriving August 12 meet in the lobby for ACR group dinner!
Time: 6:30 p.m.


Friday, August 13   1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ~ Conference Registration
1:00 – 1:45 p.m. ~ ACR Officers and Executive Committee Meeting
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ~ ACR Welcoming Statement by Chris Coffman, ACR President ~ Introduction of Officers and Executive Committee, and kick off Who’s Who and What’s New
3:00 – 3:15 p.m. ~  Afternoon Break
3:15 – 4:30 p.m. ~ 2021 Edition of Who’s Who and What’s New (cont’d)
5:15 – 9:00 p.m. ~ Evening Event for all Registered Conference Attendees (Zoo)


Saturday, August 14   8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ~ Conference Registration
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. ~ NASS/ACR Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. ~ Who’s Who and What’s New (continued)
10:30 – 10:45 a.m. ~ Morning Break
10:45 – 12:00 p.m. ~ First ACR Business Meeting
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. ~ NASS/ACR Lunch
1:15 – 2:30 p.m. ~ Wisconsin’s Updated Rules Procedures Manual ~ Mike Duchek
2:30 – 2:45 p.m. ~ Afternoon Break
2:45 – 4:00 p.m. ~ Modernizing the Filing and Publishing of Administrative Rules
Presentation ~ Michael Broschinsky
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. ~ ACR Networking Session ~ Meet in hotel lobby
6:45 – 9:30 p.m. ~ Evening Event for all Registered Conference Attendees (Capitol)


Sunday, August 15  1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ~ Conference Registration
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. ~ NASS/ACR Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. ~ Roundtable Discussion ~ How the Pandemic Changed our Work Processes and What Changes will Continue into the Future
10:30 – 10:45 a.m. ~ Morning Break
10:45 – 11:45 a.m. ~ What We Learned About the OFR During a Global Pandemic ~ John Hyrum Martinez
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. ~ NASS/ACR Lunch with IDEAS Award Presentation
1:45 – 3:00 p.m. ~ Expanding Access to Justice through the Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act (UELMA)~ Uniform Law Commission
3:00 – 3:15 p.m. ~ Afternoon Break
3:15 – 4:30 p.m. ~ Idaho: Twists & Turns…We Have No Idea Where We Are Going – Who Needs a Map? Presentation ~Trinette Middlebrook and Frank Powell
5:15 – 9:30 p.m. ~ Evening Event for all Registered Conference Attendees (Iowa Fair)


Monday, August 16
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. ~ NASS/ACR Breakfast
9:00 – 9:45 a.m. ~ Second ACR Business Meeting
9:45 – 10:00 a.m. ~ Morning Break
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. ~ Planning Session: Where Do We Go from Here?
10:45 – 11:45 a.m. ~ Rulemaking Iowa Style ~ Jack Ewing
11:45 – 12:00 p.m. ~ Closing Remarks and Introduction of New Officers


Committees

Nominations Committee

Chair: Julie Yamaka (OR)
Yvette Smallwood (DE)
Emily Caudill (KY)

Awards Committee

Chair: Trinette Middlebrook (ID)
Frank Powell (ID)

Archives Committee

Anne Bloomsburg (VA)
Jennifer Meas (WA)

Website Committee

Chair: Scott Cancelosi (AZ)
Emily Caudill (KY)
Kylie Cone (UT)

2020-2021 Survey For Sale

The State and Federal Survey is a valuable tool that contains a wealth of information about administrative rules in the various states.

For example, you can find out which states publish an administrative register or code, determine which branch of government is responsible for publication, and locate contact information for the states.

Appendices include informative statistics, Internet addresses for administrative codes and registers websites, and Internet addresses for administrative rules review information.

This survey is available for US $40. Please fill out the order form and make check or money order payable to ACR Survey.